People are worried about men and their health. Inequalities in male health are staggering. Nine out of 10 prisoners are poorly educated young males from our urban blackspots. Half are on short term sentences of six months or so and many will return to prison.
Figure 1.
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In the deprived urban areas of Europe you will see many young girls pushing buggies with young babies. They usually travel in groups and you seldom see a male with them. They don't know it yet but they are a young matriarchy entering a prison all of their own, which will keep them and their children in poverty for much of their lives. Their kids are at increased risk of many things such as cot deaths, injuries, hyperactivity, and poor school performance.
All too many of the children have little experience of a father in their lives. The boy-man may be no more than a sperm donor and the relationship may break down before the baby is born. Hence the young man never gets to experience fatherhood.
Better off men often speak about the big impact that seeing their child being born has on them. They describe the feeling of responsibility that is fatherhood, how it leads them to plan for the future, reduce personal risks, buy insurance, worry about schools, and look for promotion. Most fathers are a force for good in their children's lives. The impact of the father as a role model for sons and daughters has hardly been researched, which is part of the problem. To explore the role of fathers in a systematic way society has to deem it important enough to want to know the answer.
It is hardly surprising that young biological fathers who do not experience the responsibilities of fatherhood remain as immature lads, take risks, and get into enough trouble to end up in prison. It is often easy to find out about their addiction status, suicidal intent, and literacy levels, but not as easy to find out if they are fathers. And yet being a father brings with it responsibilities that have a steadying effect on the individual and the community that is good for health.
The Journal of Men's Health and Gender is attempting to advance the study of such issues. It is thoughtful but robust enough not to shy away from important subjects such as the emergence of women in healthcare leadership (including publishing), the absence of men in refugee camps, and gender differences in coronary heart disease. And there was only one article on erectile dysfunction in the three first issues, which must be a record for a publication on men's health.
There is scope for original research along gender lines in order to add to our understanding of how men and women cope differently with health and illness. There is certainly an opportunity for the Journal of Men's Health and Gender to become an authority in the area.